Chapter 114 Duan Lansheng's retribution is that he will only be happy in this lifetime...
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility of this corner.
Duan Lansheng strode in and the first thing he saw was Lu Yuanyuan's back. He lowered his voice and said, "There are sounds coming this way. Something's wrong. We need to leave here immediately."
Lu Yuanyuan seemed lost in thought and didn't hear him, sitting motionless against the wall.
Duan Lansheng turned around to face her and saw that her face was pale. He was startled and squatted down: "What's wrong? What happened?"
He took Lu Yuanyuan's hand, which was resting on her knee, and clutched the charred book tightly in her palm. The moment he touched it, he noticed that her hands were colder than ever before, as if they had just emerged from an ice cellar in the dead of winter.
Lu Yuanyuan finally reacted. She slowly raised her head and met his clear and beautiful eyes, which looked as if they had been washed clean.
Duan Lansheng squatted down in front of her. He had a straight nose and thin lips. His gaze was focused, and his expression was worried. He was tall, and even though he was kneeling down, his figure still almost enveloped her, and his snow-white clothes spread out on the ground.
Within this chest, the organ that kept him alive was now throbbing vigorously, within easy reach of her outstretched arm.
Perhaps seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Duan Lansheng leaned forward slightly, looked at her expression, and softly asked, "What happened?"
The fleeting, dangerous thoughts suddenly vanished, and Lu Yuanyuan finally looked up again. Her eyes were so dark they seemed to lose all light, radiating a cold, transparent, and unfathomable chill. She heard herself speak: "I can't find that plant in these books."
Returning empty-handed wasn't a serious matter, at least not as serious as he had imagined. Duan Lansheng breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief and gently comforted him, "It's alright, don't worry, we have plenty of time, we'll find it eventually."
After saying that, he quickly glanced in another direction, stood up, and pulled her up with him: "The sound is getting closer, we have to go."
They stuffed the charred book back into the hidden compartment, then climbed out of the window one after the other, leaving the pitch-black courtyard. Almost the instant they landed, they heard the front door being kicked open. They narrowly missed each other.
The two ran a hundred meters when they suddenly caught a glimpse of a bright red light shining in the night sky. Lu Yuanyuan turned around in surprise and saw flames rising from the courtyard of Master Xugu.
The fire raged around the wooden beams, quickly engulfing everything inside. The carefully cultivated precious flowers and plants, the numerous utensils and books, were all reduced to charcoal in the flames.
Lu Yuanyuan's eyes widened. Duan Lansheng, standing beside her, also tensed up.
To be honest, barging into Master Xugu's room, while against the rules, wasn't a particularly serious offense; at most, it was just disrespect for elders. But now, with this strange fire starting, she felt that what she was seeing was almost certainly true.
What would have happened if she had been a step slower?
It's been burning for quite a while now, but no patrolling disciples have come to help.
Was someone deliberately distracting the patrolmen and setting fire to evidence that could ruin their reputation?
Why tonight of all times?
Was it because they discovered the secret room had been disturbed that they rushed over to set it on fire, to prevent anyone from finding Master Xugu step by step? Or perhaps, the other party simply remembered this unresolved problem and set about solving it, but unexpectedly bumped into her?
Lu Yuanyuan tightened her knuckles.
At this moment, she was incredibly grateful that she had come tonight. After tonight, everything of value would be burned to ashes, the clues would be completely cut off, and she would find nothing.
Suddenly, her elbow was grabbed. Duan Lansheng turned to look at her and said in a low voice, "Stop looking. Go back to your room and wash your hands and face. I'll come find you when it's light."
As he gave her instructions, he raised his hand as if to wipe the dust off her face.
Lu Yuanyuan turned her head away, withdrew her elbow, and walked away without saying a word.
At this hour, there was no one on the mountain path. She avoided everyone, returned to the inn, and looked in the mirror. Sure enough, her hands and face were covered with some dark gray ash that had come off the pages of the book.
Lu Yuanyuan washed her face and hands, wrung out a cloth, and repeatedly wiped her fingers that Duan Lansheng had grabbed. There was still some time before dawn. She lay stiffly on the bed, fully clothed, staring at the ceiling beams, completely unable to sleep. Unconsciously, her right hand rested on her still flat stomach. But instantly, she reacted as if bitten by a venomous fang; her fingertips trembled and she pulled away.
There's a child here, even though she can't touch anything yet.
She'd been bombarded with too much information today; her brain cells were overloaded. Only one thought remained crystal clear in her mind—she would never want this child.
A life born of love is precious. But this is not; its origin is a calculation.
If a life is destined to be unblessed and unexpected, then it would be better if it never came into this world in the first place.
Presumably, it wouldn't want to be born with parents who hate and betray each other.
Lu Yuanyuan lay on her side, staring blankly at the wall, countless thoughts flashing through her mind.
She wanted to kill Duan Lansheng.
The question is, how to kill them, and where to kill them?
She couldn't kill him in Shu Mountain. It was densely populated, and there were so many powerful alchemists there. Even if she succeeded in her sneak attack, the others might just turn around and save Duan Lansheng.
She wasn't afraid of being held accountable; she was only afraid of missing the opportunity to kill him.
Lure him out of Mount Shu, to a place where there's no one else around, and then make your move? That's a good idea, and you won't have to worry about how to collect his body.
By the way, Xiao Ruo must not be able to find this place, because Xiao Ruo's appearance means that the system may intervene to stop her again.
She lay there motionless for a long time, her head throbbing with pain, unable to sleep, watching helplessly as the light of day gradually turned into a dim glow.
As dawn broke and the mountains were illuminated, the disciples of Danqing Peak finally rose.
The fire at Master Xugu's former residence quickly attracted attention. It was getting increasingly noisy outside, as if someone was shouting to put out the fire. Lu Yuanyuan sat up, rubbed her face, and suddenly heard three loud bangs on the door.
But the person outside wasn't Duan Lansheng, nor was it the disciple who had come to call her to help put out the fire. Instead, it was an unfamiliar voice: "Senior Sister Lu, are you there? The sect leader urgently summons you. Please go to the Crane Cultivation Hall of the Sword Sect immediately."
Lu Yuanyuan arrived at her destination after about half an incense stick's time.
After all, she suspected that the order to set the fire was given by the sect leader of Shushan. Before coming, she was quite uneasy. When she arrived, she found many disciples standing there. It seemed that she was not summoned alone. Lu Yuanyuan suppressed her unease and went in.
Duan Lansheng was also in the crowd, his face initially expressionless. Noticing her arrival, he turned his head and silently gave her a reassuring look.
Lu Yuanyuan bowed without looking to the side and stood at the back of the crowd.
Once everyone had arrived, the sect leader of Shushan Sect got straight to the point, saying in a deep voice, "We have tracked down the thieves to the deep mountains of the southern border. I need you all to set off immediately and capture the thieves within half a month."
The sound was transmitted through internal force, and the listener's eardrums seemed to vibrate as well.
Lu Yuanyuan suddenly looked up.
Shushan had indeed been searching for Yin Xiaozhu's whereabouts. However, in the few days since she returned to Shushan, she hadn't heard of any large-scale search operation. Logically speaking, given the vastness of the land and Yin Xiaozhu's methods, even a thorough search wouldn't be enough to find him so quickly. Besides, she hadn't heard of any such operation.
Could it be that among the things Yin Xiaozhu left behind, there was a note about places he might go? Or where his old hideout was located?
If that's the case, it's just a possibility. Who can guarantee that he will definitely go there?
Why was the Shushan Sect Master so certain that he was in the deep mountains of the southern border? Why did he give him a half-month deadline?
Lu Yuanyuan lowered her eyes slightly.
Never mind, she doesn't care about that answer.
The thorn of hatred was deeply embedded in her heart, and with each heartbeat, each pump of blood, the thorn would pierce deeper, fueling her murderous intent.
And now, a perfect opportunity has presented itself to her.
.
As a witness to the case, and the only person Yin Xiaozhu has spent the most time with in the past three years, Lu Yuanyuan could very well be of great help at a crucial moment, finding Yin Xiaozhu's weaknesses or whereabouts. The Shushan Sect Master summoned her here with the intention of having her accompany him.
It's clear that the sect leader of Shushan attaches great importance to this operation, even bringing out three rarely seen treasures of the sect.
One magical artifact is called the Sky-Gazing Mirror, which can dispel miasma, suppress evil spirits, and make demons disappear. Another magical artifact is called the Three Pure Ones Bell, which can ward off evil, purify the mind, and trace demonic energy. Yet another magical artifact is called the Heavenly Canopy Ruler, a long weapon used to subdue demons and monsters.
The three magical treasures were entrusted to Duan Lansheng, Qi Chang, and another disciple of the Sword Sect for safekeeping.
Lu Yuanyuan's gaze lingered on Duan Lansheng's hand. It was a mirror no bigger than the palm of her hand, with an ancient bronze shape. It seemed ordinary, but when light shone on it, the mirror surface would shimmer with a strange brilliance.
I remember that year, she was reborn as a princess of the Yan Kingdom. In the palace, she was coveted by monsters. She protected her life by copying the Lotus Sutra on a mirror and reflecting the moonlight off the mirror.
While both are mirror-type weapons, the Sky-Gazing Mirror is undoubtedly more powerful and has fewer limitations.
Fortunately, this thing can only be used to deal with demons and evil spirits.
Duan Lansheng couldn't use it to deal with her.
After accepting their weapons, the group immediately set off for the southern border of the cultivation world.
After several days of travel, they arrived at a city called Fengdu in the southern border. Beyond this city lay vast, deep mountains. Everyone remained on edge throughout the journey.
Yin Xiaozhu is hiding in the Southern Territory, so she certainly wouldn't be hiding in a crowded place. The "mountain" mentioned by the Shu Mountain Sect Master most likely refers to a place in the vast wilderness after leaving Fengdu. Considering that everyone is tired from traveling, in order to conserve their energy, the leading Daoist decided to rest in Fengdu tonight and set off early tomorrow morning.
Lu Yuanyuan looked up at the city gate of Fengdu, then looked away.
This was the place where she first teamed up with Duan Lansheng for a mission after her rebirth. But her mindset was completely different the second time she came.
Fengdu was the most prosperous city in the southern region, with thriving commerce and numerous brothels. As soon as Lu Yuanyuan entered the city gate, she was surprised to find that the entire city was filled with bright lanterns. The streets were teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder, and many people were carrying lanterns as they walked along the streets, making a great commotion, like a pot of porridge.
It turns out that Fengdu is having a lantern festival tonight, and it's said there will be a procession of deities at midnight. The balconies on the second floor of the wine shops and singing houses with the best viewing spots along the main street are already packed with people.
The cultivators of Mount Shu were all young people, and they were all excited by the lively atmosphere.
Since everyone needed to rest before entering the city, it wasn't good to be too harsh on them. After Qi Chang and the Sword Sect's direct disciple returned from booking an inn, they saw so many expectant eyes. They exchanged a helpless glance and finally just told everyone to wander around as they pleased, but not to return to the inn later than 9 PM.
Everyone cheered and started discussing in small groups where they would go next. Standing at the back, Lu Yuanyuan looked at all those young and lively faces and felt like an outsider watching a movie.
She shook her head and, as the crowd began to disperse, silently retreated, making sure no one could see her, and quickly disappeared into the throng.
Although I had no intention of shopping, I was still drawn to the lantern festival decorations as I walked along. Little girls, dressed in their finest attire with their hair in double buns and silk ribbons cascading over their shoulders, carried adorable rabbit lanterns, their round faces beaming with joy. Long, red and blue fish-dragon lanterns sprinkled a touch of gold dust on the hair and shoulders of everyone who passed by.
Suddenly, Lu Yuanyuan paused, her gaze falling on a lamp hanging on a stall. The lamp was quite interesting; below it was a bright waning moon, and above it crouched three white foxes, heads touching, two large foxes flanking a small one—clearly a family of three. All three fox heads had smiling eyes, and bushy tails flared behind them. The paper craftsmanship was a bit rough upon closer inspection, but the three foxes were remarkably lifelike.
Unable to explain her state of mind, Lu Yuanyuan stared at the lamp for a long time, her hand twitching slightly at her side. But in the end, she looked away and continued walking forward.
Back at the inn, the lobby was quiet, and many of the rooms were dark. Apart from a waiter yawning in a corner, there was no one else. Sure enough, everyone had gone out to join the fun, unwilling to go to sleep so early.
Lu Yuanyuan held onto the stair railing and ran up to the second floor. At the end of the corridor, there was a small balcony that jutted out outwards, with chairs in front of the railing. However, the view wasn't very good, so it was quiet and deserted.
Lu Yuanyuan sat down sideways, propped her head up, and leaned against the carved wooden railing, looking down at the view of the street below.
As she was looking around, Lu Yuanyuan suddenly heard a soft "click" behind her. Wondering who else had taken a liking to this spot, she turned around.
Duan Lansheng stood in the corridor, holding a familiar crescent moon lantern in his hand, its light reflecting the ripples on his clothes like spring water. Seeing her stunned, he walked towards her, but instead of sitting down beside her, he squatted down in front of her, just like that day, handed her the lantern, and said softly, "I was behind you and saw that you seemed to want to walk alone... but you kept looking at it, so I bought it."
Lu Yuanyuan was a little caught off guard when the long pole of the lantern was placed into her palm.
Duan Lansheng had been following behind her the whole time.
Follow her, and then buy the things she likes.
What's this?
Lu Yuanyuan gritted her teeth silently, her fingers bending the lantern's stem slightly. But she still needed to lure Duan Lansheng to a secluded place, so she resisted the urge to crush the lantern and decided to put it aside.
Her gaze fell upon him unintentionally, and she was taken aback.
She noticed that the lantern in her hand was different from the one she had been looking at. The one she had seen clearly depicted three foxes, but this one showed a fox and a bird. The white fox lay at the bottom, looking rather silly. The bird, on the other hand, was plump and round, proudly spreading its wings and standing on one leg on the fox's head, swaggering around.
Duan Lansheng reached out his hand; his hand was long and slender, and under the light, his skin appeared especially fair, even his shadow seemed thinner than others. He tapped the fox's head with his fingertip, then stroked the bird's wing, his eyes crinkling slightly: "I had the shopkeeper redo it. This is me, and this is you. Don't we look alike?"
Lu Yuanyuan remained silent, turning the lamp to face the front. She discovered that the bird's eyes were actually crossed, making it look like a cross-eyed creature, even dumber than the silly fox below. Furious, she threw the lamp at him, yelling, "You're the one who's cross-eyed!"
She hurled the lamp at his chest, but Duan Lansheng didn't seem angry. He caught it and explained sincerely, "I told the boss that a kite is a very fierce bird, much like an eagle. But the boss can't make it; he can only make these chubby little birds."
Far from being angry, he seemed to be in a better mood than before. He smoothed out the wrinkles of the lantern and handed it back to her.
Lu Yuanyuan glanced at him but didn't take it. She put her hands behind her back and said, "I'm going back to sleep."
But Duan Lansheng didn't move. He squatted in front of her, preventing her from standing up. Not only that, he slowly took her hand, gradually suppressing his smile, and said softly, "Yuanyuan, ever since that day, I've wanted to talk to you."
He wasn't stupid; he could sense that ever since that incident, Lu Yuanyuan had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding him and refusing to bring up that day again.
His emotions also went through several ups and downs after that incident. From initial elation and excitement, to doubt, worry, and disbelief... and then, upon learning that she too had been controlled and abused for so long, he felt anger, pity, and self-blame—pity for her suffering and self-blame for not noticing her predicament sooner.
Fortunately, in the end, he managed to bring her safely back to Mount Shu.
After that, I thought all the obstacles had been cleared, but soon I realized from her evasive attitude that she seemed to want to pretend that day had never happened.
But he couldn't pretend nothing had happened.
Before entering Mount Shu, he had seen some starving dogs while he was a wanderer. As long as they had a chance to bite into a piece of meat, they would hold on tightly, no matter how much the butcher kicked, beat, or yelled at them, they would not let go.
He discovered that he was no different from those dogs.
But unlike those dogs that chase after meat and drool unabashedly, he could disguise himself. He could basically pretend to be completely the same as before, without showing that hungry, perhaps disgusting and frightening, look.
He only tosses and turns, feeling anxious and uncertain when he is alone.
Why does Lu Yuanyuan keep avoiding him?
Perhaps it was shyness, perhaps it was unfamiliarity, or perhaps it was...regret? After all, that day, neither the words that made his heart race nor the intimate actions that made him blush were her true intentions.
The mere thought that she might dislike him even slightly, or even hate him and ignore him because of this, sent a dark and twisted emotion churning within him.
However, you can't let her know this, or it will scare her away.
He cannot do anything against her wishes.
In the world of monsters, males who want to win the favor of females must use all their skills to compete for the position, showcasing their strength, beauty, reliability, or highlighting their ability to build nests and raise families.
Although he grew up in the Shu Mountains and was not exposed to the culture of monsters, the instincts hidden in his bones would still be automatically triggered at such moments.
He hoped that Lu Yuanyuan would look at him, and only at him.
When they first met, he was ungrateful and hurt her feelings. But he has changed for the better and is no longer the same as before.
He's not bad; he'll definitely do better than any of the other potential partners she's considering, now and in the future.
Duan Lansheng tightened his grip slightly, but quickly released it, his expression returning to normal. He looked up and saw that Lu Yuanyuan's reaction was exactly as he had imagined—her expression became wary and stiff. She said coldly, "What do you want to talk about?"
Suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, she clenched her fist fiercely and said, "There's nothing to talk about. I'll pretend it never happened, and you should too. Just don't bring it up again!"
Upon hearing this, Duan Lansheng's eyelashes trembled slightly: "But I can't do it. I can't pretend it never happened and continue to be your friend."
His long, curled eyelashes were like two small brushes. He lowered his eyes, and his dark blue pupils seemed to ripple like a pool of stardust.
Lu Yuanyuan frowned, completely unable to understand what Duan Lansheng wanted to say. A sense of unpredictable anxiety gradually arose in her heart, growing stronger and stronger.
She tried to pull her hand back, but couldn't, and the lantern fell to the ground. Turning her head, she looked down at the street and saw a young couple walking hand-in-hand. Her anger flared even more, and she sneered, "So what do you want? Do you want me to apologize? Or do you want me to compensate you?"
"Neither," Duan Lansheng shook his head and said in a muffled voice, "It's because I like you."
The complete sentence reached Lu Yuanyuan's ears, and suddenly, all other sounds seemed to disappear.
The bustling street was right under her nose, but the pairs of people, the rows of lights, and the bright shadows all appeared dim and blurry. Her body stiffened, her eyes slowly shifting before finally returning to him: "What...did you just say?"
The lanterns cast a soft, enchanting glow, illuminating the young man within, who appeared ethereal and aloof, as pure as a pearl. She had never seen Duan Lansheng so nervous. If his usual words were true, and he truly was made of snow, then now, the snow was burning, its heat spreading to his earlobes. His palms were also growing warm.
As if afraid she couldn't hear him, he took a deep breath and said it again.
"I like you, so I can no longer consider you a friend."
Duan Lansheng took her hand and gently placed it on his cheek, raising his eyes as well. Only then did she notice that his eyes, even in human form, resembled those of a fox: "I want to know how you see me."
Lu Yuanyuan froze for a long time, then suddenly nodded and said, "Oh, I see. Is it because I slept with you once, and you feel like you took advantage of me? Is that why you said that out of a sense of responsibility? Or are you just addicted and want to sleep with me again?"
Seemingly surprised by her bluntness, Duan Lansheng paused for a moment. Soon, the fire in the snow burned onto his cheeks, even tinging the corners of his eyes with a thin layer of red. He tightened his grip, looked directly at her, and solemnly said, "It has nothing to do with that matter."
"..."
"Whether that incident happened or not, I love you."
The third sentence I like tonight.
Lu Yuanyuan felt weak and slowly leaned back against the railing, quietly watching him.
In her past life, she desperately wanted to hear those words. It started as love at first sight, a youthful infatuation. She had a youthful courage that burned within her, a fearless refusal to turn back even after hitting a wall. She was not ashamed at all, and whenever she had the chance, she would linger around Duan Lansheng. As long as she could elicit even the slightest reaction from him, even if it was just him being annoyed by her, she would be abnormally excited for half a day.
"Hey, Duan Lansheng, has anyone ever told you that you look especially handsome when you're paying attention in class?"
"Don't walk so fast, wait for me... Don't listen to those people's nonsense. Those people have no taste and are just jealous of you. I especially love your fox ears and fox tail. They look so nice to touch. I've wanted to touch them for a long time... Why are you glaring at me?"
...
Undeterred and resilient, she vowed to win over this unattainable beauty, to hear Duan Lansheng confess his love to her, and to prove all those who doubted her wrong.
Although Duan Lansheng showed little interest in her—no, it should be said that he seemed completely uninterested in matters of love, including those between men and women—while other young men and women of similar age in the Shu Mountains were experiencing the stirrings of first love, he still diligently cultivated every day, his face etched with bitterness and resentment. However, earlier in their relationship, before things had reached a dead end, she had mustered the courage to tell jokes and tease Duan Lansheng, and she could clearly catch a faint smile on his face.
When did things start to go wrong?
It was an accident at the Lingbao Secret Realm.
Afterwards, Duan Lansheng married her. Although their status became legitimate, their private relationship became stiff and awkward.
Having lived together for so long, there were certainly happy and joyful moments. But sometimes she would see disgust in Duan Lansheng's eyes, and it probably wasn't just her imagination. From then on, she dared not say loudly and fearlessly, "I bet you'll fall in love with me sooner or later."
These words were buried in her heart, gradually becoming a faint yet indelible thought.
She never imagined that she would hear those words come out of his mouth at a moment she never expected.
She finally heard those words.
She won that bet after all.
However, she was no longer the girl who would be moved to tears by Duan Lansheng applying medicine to her once, or who would gloat for days after he carried her home pretending to be asleep.
At that moment, all she felt was a sense of absurdity and confusion.
Gradually, that absurdity transformed into another emotion, like strong liquor burning through her intestines, twisting her internal organs into a knot, yet she also wanted to burst into laughter.
Why did he dislike her earlier or later, but only now?
This must be karma.
That's right.
Duan Lansheng's retribution is that he only fell in love with her in this lifetime.
He loved her so much that he personally sharpened the knife that was meant to kill him and handed it to her.
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